Infected toenails are difficult to treat and instructions have to be followed carefully to see good results. Ideally, we want to see clear, healthy toenails growing after six months to a year (depending on how fast your nails grow). There are 30 million people suffering from this condition in the US alone, so don’t feel so bad.

We may need to send a sample to the lab to make sure that it is fungus infection and not something else. Try not to self-diagnose.

Change your socks and shoes twice a day.

Try to wear open-toe shoes (the spores from the fungus live inside the shoes)

Spray your shoes everyday with Lysol or Tinactin, or the “Clean Sweep” spray.

If you are applying topical medication, wash thoroughly and allow the toes to dry completely before applying the medicine.

The medication should be applied on the nail surface and also around the edge of the nails twice a day – morning and night.

Try a “shoe sanitizer” that uses ultraviolet light. We have them at the office and will treat your shoes free on your first visit. Or buy one on Amazon.

If your toenails have become very thick from the fungus, we have prescription-strength topical medicine to bring it down to size.

Special laser treatment is available at the office, ask us about the procedure.

Keep everything antiseptic and wait! And do try to stay out of those nail salons ladies. If you can’t stay away, make sure you take your own stuff; don’t use theirs because it’s how people get contaminated all the time.